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August 2, 2015

Empty Empty Empty: June & July!

Howdy everyone! How is your weekend progressing? I have been successfully avoiding the heat by swatching and doing blog stuff like mad!

Today I have another two months' worth of empty product goodies* to review and share with you!

*A note on the prices as I've listed them: I've tried to source the lowest and most easily accessible options for purchasing these products, although please take my price quotes with a grain of salt as things do tend to fluctuate, and shopping around can be helpful finding better deals! All prices are for full-sized items, whereas a lot of my reviews are for sample or deluxe sample sizes, as noted!

Let's get started! As always, I've grouped the products into broad categories:

-Haircare-

Batiste Dry Shampoo (dark & deep brown)
I've reviewed this before, but my opinion of it is evolving. I still like it- mostly for the fact that it doesn't create a huge problem with "white cast" for people with dark hair. I feel that it adequately absorbs oil and refreshes hair for at least twelve hours, but after that point, I think it makes my scalp and hair feel dirtier than before! So it's a bit of a love/hate relationship I have with this product! You can see I got it for a decent price at Marshalls, though!

Something that nobody mentions is that prolonged, regular use of dry shampoo does dry out your hair situation, since it is absorbing all of the natural oils. I definitely have to be careful with dry shampoos since I have color-treated hair prone to dryness.

I really wish more dry shampoo brands came in dark-colored shades! Might or might not repurchase! $8.99 (Ulta)

Pureology Hydrate Shampoo
I'd been seeing rave reviews of this shampoo for quite a while before I finally decided to give it a shot. It's way pricier than I'd normally pay for a shampoo, but it is very concentrated, and if you use the recommended amount (quarter-sized), it actually does seem to be fairly economical. This bottle lasted me almost four months and I wash my hair every three days normally.

Upon doing some research, it turns out that the new version (which I have) of this shampoo contains a few different ingredients, including benzyl alcohol which can be irritating to the skin. Many people who have tried both versions say that the new one is far inferior to the original formulation. (The new version also has water added, which means the product is less concentrated.) That said, I still enjoyed this shampoo! It lathers, cleanses well, is technically sulfate-free, and didn't dry out my scalp (although it does contain silicones). It does smell very herbal-medicinal, though, and I can see some people not liking that. Probably will not repurchase! $19.26 (Amazon)

-Skincare-

Now Solutions 100% Pure Organic Jojoba Oil
I've been using this as an eye-makeup remover and in the Oil Cleansing Method! It's a thinner-textured oil, and works very, very well to dissolve eye makeup- although I don't normally wear waterproof products. It works better than almond, coconut, or olive oil for me though! I'm a fan, and I think this particular brand is priced pretty well! Will repurchase! $10.50 (Amazon)

Pangea Organics Facial Cream- Nigerian ginger with Lavender & Thyme
I liked this, and it smells delicious! It's good for a daytime moisturizer for me, but not heavy enough for night time. It sets to a tacky finish at first, but does eventually absorb into the skin well.
I don't love it enough to pay full price though! $40 (skinwellbeing.com)

Clinique Turnaround Overnight Revitalizing Moisturizer
This came is a deluxe sample size trio with a promo code from Sephora. Love it- but what else is new with Cliique skincare? It felt great on the skin, and moisturized super well! Smells like nothing since it's fragrance-free. $39.50 (Sephora)

Clinique Turnaround Daytime Daytime Revitalizing Moisturizer
This is the accompanying daytime moisturizer that came in the trio. (The other item is a serum which I haven't gotten to yet.) I really like this too- more than the Pangea moisturizer! I think these samples are too small to see any "revitalizing" effects, but it does function well as a moisturizer. My skin liked it! Might purchase! $38 (Sephora)

Estee Lauder Revitalizing Supreme Global Anti-Aging Creme
This is good, I think, but it's way too small of a sample to accurately judge! I got two applications out of the satchet. Pricey, though, huh? $50 (Sephora)

Dr. Brandt Pores No More Anti-aging Mattifying Lotion
This came in an Ipsy bag, and let me just say how little product was inside this tube! Kind of cheap, and I know I was not the only one who thought so! Sort of one of the reasons I left Ipsy, to be honest!

Anyway, this is fine, but its performance completely does not justify the pricepoint for me! It's expensive, and I didn't really see any mattifying effects! Actually, my Paula's Choice sunscreen mattifies more than this product. As a super light moisturizer, it's fine, but I'd never pay $60 for something like that, so I think this is overrated!
Would not purchase! $60 (Sephora)

Malin + Goetz Mojito Lip Balm
I used my final accumulation of Ipsy points on this product since it has rave reviews across the internet! Let me be the first to say that I hate it! I only managed to use up about half of this .20oz tube. It seems like there is an ingredient in this, (and I don't know which one), that I'm allergic to! My lips felt drier the hour after using it, and prolonged use began a cycle of peeling lips that had to be completely and utterly exfoliated every day- moreso than I'd ever experienced! It finally occurred to me that, no, I wasn't dehydrated, and that this product was responsible! I discontinued use, and my lips went back to normal. So, if you have sensitive skin or lips, I'd recommend against this!

Another thing is that I actually don't like the texture, which is pretty important! I found it overly sticky, like a lipgloss! Would not purchase! $17.99 (Amazon)

-Makeup-

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in 'Auburn' I've reviewed Brow Wiz before, but I don't love it as much as I originally did! It's still pretty great, but very overpriced for the amount of product it contains! Despite the thin tip, I'm not actually able to draw realistic-looking hairs; for me, it's still a bit too thick for that purpose. I currently only use it to softly outline the area which I would like to fill in with powder, and then blend everything together with a spoolie at the end. Might not repurchase now that Nyx has a similar product on the market! $21 (Sephora)

LORAC Behind the Scenes Eye Shadow Primer
My favorite eye primer! The labeling on the tubes does manage to wear away nearly-completely by the time I'm done with one, though! I think this primer is great for oily lids or hooded eyes- I have both. It's a neutral, light skin-toned color, and also subtly enhances whatever eyeshadow you put on top of it.

To make bright colors pop though, you really need something more akin to a white, opaque cream base- like the famous Nyx Jumbo Pencil in 'Milk,' for example. Would repurchase! $21 (Amazon)

Everyday Minerals Semi Matte Base in 'Ivory'
Just a baby sample size! I like this as much as I like pretty much any mineral base I try from Everyday Minerals, which is a lot! 'Ivory' matches my skin very well, and because it's less pink-toned that many of the other EM fair shades, it does a little to neutralize redness on me. I do remember these being $12, though, so there's been a slight price increase. Would purchase! $14 (everydayminerals.com)

NYX HD Studio Photogenic Finishing Powder (SFP01)
This is just 100% silica, but it's very finely milled and at a decent price point! I love it to finish a look when I feel like taking that extra step. It definitely makes the skin look nice! I also think that it can keep me looking matte longer- even in high heat and humidity!

One negative is that the sifter in this is completely worthless. The holes are massive, and you can sift out the entire contents in one go if you're not careful! Nyx really needs to refine that, but in the meantime you can tape over most of the sifter holes to limit product spillage. Already repurchased! $9.99 (Ulta)

-Hand/Cuticle Care-Burt's Bees Honey & Grapeseed Hand Cream
I believe this came in a gift set, and it's just OK. It does feel a bit sticky- even after it seems to have completely absorbed. The smell is foody, like honey, and that's actually bad for my day job working with dogs because, well, they all want to lick my hands to death! Wouldn't purchase. $6.30 (Amazon)

Dionis Goat Milk Hand Cream in 'Vanilla Bean'
I got this as a souvenir of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Florida simply because I needed a hand creme for my bag and it smells fantastic! It's actually a very sweet type of vanilla smell, and just delicious! The texture was on the thinner side, and it's actually pretty moisturizing. Dionis seems to be a boutique brand, so I don't know how available it is, but I might purchase this again as a treat! $2.99 (luckyvitamin.com)

Polished by KPT Unscented Cuticle Oil
This was sent to me as a PR sample. First, I love the massive size of this oil! It contains 3.85 mL, which is almost twice as much as most cuticle pens contain! The mechanics of the pen are great- never encountered any issue- and the actual brush tip is very soft, allowing you to swipe oil under the nail (important), and into the cuticle areas. I love that it's vegan, and has awesome ingredients! (Argan oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil, shea butter, and tea tree oil to name a few! Would purchase! $6-$10 (polishedbyKPT.com)

Bliss Kiss Simply Pure Hydrating Oil
I love this cuticle pen as well, and this is the second Bliss Kiss one I've demolished! The brush seems slightly shorter and stiffer than the KPT pen, which could be a bonus or drawback, depending on what you prefer. The main oils in this pen are jojoba, grape seed oil, and olive oil, but I wouldn't be able to discern a difference between the feel of these two pens if I did it blind. Would purchase! $6.23 (nailcareHQ.com)Fake "OPI brand" Cuticle Oil Pen from NIPOO
This is the first I've depleted, but I got these in a set of five on Amazon, and they were actually not marketed as OPI. Nowhere in the pictures or descriptions did it say OPI, which I just find kind of strange! They are obviously fake, but why bother if you're not going to show off the brand?? The text on the pen is full of spelling and diction errors, and out of the five, I have one pen that has a failed mechanic where it won't advance the oil.

This particular pen is fine, though! It kept my cuticles adequately moisturized, but does have a strong, chemical/ cleanser lemon scent. Would not repurchase. $5.39 (5) (Amazon)

-Nail Care-

Up & Up Nail Polish Remover Advanced Formula
This is Target's house brand, acetone-based remover and it's awesome! It's mostly acetone (96%), so is quite strong. I actually like that because it means you don't have to expose your skin and nails for as long as you would with a non-acetone remover (or one with less acetone). It's pretty cheap, too! Will repurchase! $2.19 (Target)

Kleancolor Nail Lacquer in 'Metallic Mango'
Oh no! My first nail polish casualty in recent memory! I'm not sure what happened, but this Kleancolor has completely dried out to the point that more than half of the bottle contents have evaporated! The remainder is beyond revival with thinner. It's just super gooey and glue-like. So sad! I think some polish must have been around the neck of the bottle and prevented a perfect seal. All of my other Kleancolors of the same age are just fine! The metallics from this line are great for stamping, by the way! Would repurchase! $3.72 (Amazon)

That's it!

Have you tried any of these products?

*Disclosure: polishes in this post were provided to me as press samples for honest review, and all opinions are my own.